A new Woodland Walk and Trim Trail which has been built around campus was officially opened over the Christmas holidays.
Around 100 people attended the opening event, predominantly members of staff, and had the opportunity to try either the Woodland Walk or the Trim Trail. Staff from the Sports Centre were on hand to demonstrate safe use of the Trim Trail equipment. It is hoped a similar event will be run for students during Lent term.
“[We’ve got] a beautiful campus, but how do we make more use of it?” said Professor Amanda Chetwynd, Pro Vice Chancellor for Colleges and the Student Experience. “The grounds have always been here but making them more accessible for a nice easy walk, I think that’s going to make a huge difference. I think people are going to love it.”
The walk and trail form part of the £300m investment in changing the face of the University campus. The Woodland Walk, around the perimeter of campus, is 2.6 miles in its entirety and provides access to more of the woodland surrounding campus that was previously readily available. The Trim Trail runs for 700 metres from Alexandra Park to Bigforth Drive, and offers 11 different exercise stations. Both walk and trail are intended to be accessible to users of all ages and fitness levels.
To raise awareness of the trail, the Facilities Department has produced a leaflet detailing the routes and the equipment available. Hard copies have been placed around campus and in the LUSU building and a pdf is available on the Sports Centre website.
Designed to encourage staff and students to be healthy whilst working, the project marks the start of the Healthy Campus Wellbeing Project.
“We’ve been thinking about all the things we’re doing on campus to make it a more more healthy and enjoyable place,” Professor Chetwynd said. “Our project encourages a healthy lifestyle whilst working and socialising on campus, for both students and staff. [..] I hope that the walks and the Trim Trail will encourage more of us to leave our desks at lunchtime or leave the library to come out and enjoy the campus.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Professor Chetwynd expressed thanks to the teams behind the trail’s creation.
“I want to say a big thank you to the team in Facilities who’ve put together and designed the trail for us – in particular Ian Sturzaker and Kim Montgomery and their teams, they’ve worked really hard to get this going for us,” she said.
